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Top Chef the Cookbook

Top Chef presents the official companion cookbook to the No. 1 rated food show on cable television! Featuring 100 fabulous recipes from the first three seasons of the show, including dishes from the Elimination Rounds and the Quick-Fire Challenges, Top Chef: The Cookbook invites fans into the hottest kitchen on prime time. In-depth discussions with contestants, judges, and Top Chef presents the official companion cookbook to the No. 1 rated food show on cable television! Featuring 100 fabulous recipes from the first three seasons of the show, including dishes from the Elimination Rounds and the Quick-Fire Challenges, Top Chef: The Cookbook invites fans into the hottest kitchen on prime time. In-depth discussions with contestants, judges, and crew reveal the inner workings of the show, and lavish photographs take readers behind-the-scenes into the Top Chef pantry and the competition sites. Handsomely packaged with a canvas cover inspired by the chef's jacket worn by each of the Top Chef contestants, this cookbook will have aspiring culinary contenders reliving classic show moments and relishing new recipes just in time to obsess over Padma's outfits in Season 4.

Top Chef presents the official companion cookbook to the No. 1 rated food show on cable television! Featuring 100 fabulous recipes from the first three seasons of the show, including dishes from the Elimination Rounds and the Quick-Fire Challenges, Top Chef: The Cookbook invites fans into the hottest kitchen on prime time. In-depth discussions with contestants, judges, and Top Chef presents the official companion cookbook to the No. 1 rated food show on cable television! Featuring 100 fabulous recipes from the first three seasons of the show, including dishes from the Elimination Rounds and the Quick-Fire Challenges, Top Chef: The Cookbook invites fans into the hottest kitchen on prime time. In-depth discussions with contestants, judges, and crew reveal the inner workings of the show, and lavish photographs take readers behind-the-scenes into the Top Chef pantry and the competition sites. Handsomely packaged with a canvas cover inspired by the chef's jacket worn by each of the Top Chef contestants, this cookbook will have aspiring culinary contenders reliving classic show moments and relishing new recipes just in time to obsess over Padma's outfits in Season 4.

30 review for
Top Chef the Cookbook

4 out of 5

karen–Feb 15, 2009

honestly, i can do without all the airbrushed glamour-shot centerfoldy pages of the chefs, but i approve of the crabcakes benedict and almost all of the breakfast items are wonderful, many involving eggs and maple syrup. but really - wayyy too many nonfood pages. its disconcerting to get all hungry-worked up by looking at food pictures and then be confronted with pages and pages of people pictures...puts bad ideas in the brain.... brains.....

4 out of 5

Chris Webber–Oct 10, 2009

Top Chef has three seasons of the hit television show. It also has the recipes and pictures of most of the winning recipes from the show. I got this book to get the recipes and found more tidbits from the contestants and judges than the food, which was a bit disappointing.
But still. The food! The food! Whereas most cookbooks attempt to market to the more moderate cook, this is way up over the top. Do not expect to taste these sumptious looking dishes unless you have plenty of mulah in the bank. Top Chef has three seasons of the hit television show. It also has the recipes and pictures of most of the winning recipes from the show. I got this book to get the recipes and found more tidbits from the contestants and judges than the food, which was a bit disappointing.
But still. The food! The food! Whereas most cookbooks attempt to market to the more moderate cook, this is way up over the top. Do not expect to taste these sumptious looking dishes unless you have plenty of mulah in the bank. Things like squid, truffles,caviar and specialty cheeses generally don't come cheap and many of the ingredients require specialty food stores.
But if you have the money and the skill, this book is worth looking at it. Rather than read it to get recipes, I found myself marvelling at the flavor combinations and unique and original flairs on normally-ordinary dishes. For instance, there is an apple crisp where the apples are cooked in a pan, then served in a parfait glass and topped with fresh sliced strawberries. The crisp is a baked hazelnut lace broken into irregular pieces and one is served on the top of each glass. This book was worth reading just to see such variations like this.

4 out of 5

Priscilla–Jan 15, 2009

This book is great if you're a fan of the show bc it has interviews with all the judges (including my beloved Tom C.) and contestants (apparently Marcel is friends with Cliff now (!)), recaps of each episode/season and behind the scenes info (like the layout of the kitchen, food essentials, etc). It also has many, many successful recipes from all the seasons and they are broken up by breakfast, appetizers, poultry, etc so it is easy to find what I want. The thing is though, many of these are rea This book is great if you're a fan of the show bc it has interviews with all the judges (including my beloved Tom C.) and contestants (apparently Marcel is friends with Cliff now (!)), recaps of each episode/season and behind the scenes info (like the layout of the kitchen, food essentials, etc). It also has many, many successful recipes from all the seasons and they are broken up by breakfast, appetizers, poultry, etc so it is easy to find what I want. The thing is though, many of these are really not for a beginner cook like myself - I don't have cheesecloth or a sous vie machine and what not and I don't have time to spend four hours in the kitchen, or the money/time to use truffles and find gueyduck (black duck). However, I have so far made the prosciutto and basil pizza, and the ceiviche and popcorn cakes. Both of these were quite good even if my finished products looked nothing at all like the pictures. Also, the packaging is cool - the book cover is made of the material of the aprons they wear on the show.

4 out of 5

Crystal Hart–Dec 03, 2018

I probably should have realized that “Interviews” comes before “Recipes” in the title. Interviews definitely take up most of the book. But it was still ok.

4 out of 5

Candice–Jul 04, 2019

This was entertaining, mostly for the behind-the-scenes information about the show. I have no desire to cook any of the recipes... I’m quite happy to just watch them done on tv.

4 out of 5

Jean–Jan 19, 2009

A funny read for fans of the show but the complex preparations and the amount of cilantro-laden dishes was off-putting. I don't like cilantro as a dominant flavor which got in the way of my usual pure joy in eating. There were some bright spots. Our quickfire smoothee challenge was really laugh-filled.
Here are the recipes I tasted and the cookbook club cooks who made them.
Me - Shrimp Poached in Olive Oil: Loved the infused olive oil and the avocado. Lime syrup was a little much and, of course, A funny read for fans of the show but the complex preparations and the amount of cilantro-laden dishes was off-putting. I don't like cilantro as a dominant flavor which got in the way of my usual pure joy in eating. There were some bright spots. Our quickfire smoothee challenge was really laugh-filled.
Here are the recipes I tasted and the cookbook club cooks who made them.
Me - Shrimp Poached in Olive Oil: Loved the infused olive oil and the avocado. Lime syrup was a little much and, of course, there was cilantro.
Sheela - Watermelon, Fontina and Olive Salad: Probably my favorite of the dishes. Cheese and watermelon is something I had never tried before and I liked it.
Molly - Fish Cakes: Such good fresh fish and interesting spices. Fish cakes are always a winner in my book. Very tasty. I would replace cilantro with a less metallic seasoning for an equally stunning effect.
Gretchen - Banana Scallops: The sear on the scallops with the sugar was pure joy. Cool presentation. More Cilantro.

4 out of 5

Kurt–Jul 23, 2011

I borrowed this book from a friend and loved it. As only a casual fan of the show (I don't have Bravo at home, so I've seen an episode of season 4 at my dad's house, an episode of season 6 while house-sitting, and all of season 5 on DVD), I was not enthralled by the episode recaps or the goofy little pages about good Bourdain quotes and matching the cheftestants to their hairstyles. The recipes, though, are amazing. They display astounding creativity and have, in most cases, been simplified enou I borrowed this book from a friend and loved it. As only a casual fan of the show (I don't have Bravo at home, so I've seen an episode of season 4 at my dad's house, an episode of season 6 while house-sitting, and all of season 5 on DVD), I was not enthralled by the episode recaps or the goofy little pages about good Bourdain quotes and matching the cheftestants to their hairstyles. The recipes, though, are amazing. They display astounding creativity and have, in most cases, been simplified enough to attempt them at home. The food photography is drool-worthy, although many of the recipes include pictures not of the food but of the chefs preparing it - again, more useful for a die-hard fan than a casual one. I like reading cookbooks for fun anyway, but this book in particular was one where I sat for hours at a time, reading every word in a kind of fever dream and then having nightmares about misapplying a garnish later. The words and pictures worked beautifully together to create a treasure of a book that belongs on the shelf of every home cook looking to be challenged and inspired.

5 out of 5

Sara–Dec 21, 2012

I checked this out from the library's ebook catalog. I wanted a cookbook and liked Top Chef.
You have to get more than 1/5 a the way through the book before you get to the first recipe. And then few the recipes that are in this book....are very Top Chef. Full of rare ingredients. Who has a 3 pound octopus in the fridge? The recipes aren't easy or for the everyday cook. They're pretty unapproachable. I think I found about three recipes that made me pause. Maybe I'd make this? Then again, probably I checked this out from the library's ebook catalog. I wanted a cookbook and liked Top Chef.
You have to get more than 1/5 a the way through the book before you get to the first recipe. And then few the recipes that are in this book....are very Top Chef. Full of rare ingredients. Who has a 3 pound octopus in the fridge? The recipes aren't easy or for the everyday cook. They're pretty unapproachable. I think I found about three recipes that made me pause. Maybe I'd make this? Then again, probably not.
This book is more of a fan guide. It has all sorts of information about the chefs and the behind-the-scenes info. So this is great if you're looking for a fan guide. If you feel like cooking and are looking for a recipe, maybe pick a different book?
And this book is AWFUL on a Kindle. The formatting is horrible.

5 out of 5

Dan–Jun 07, 2013

As a fan of the show, particularly the early seasons, it was a fun romp down memory lane of the first three seasons. There wasn't a whole lot of new info here if you've watched the show, at least in terms of the narrative and interviews, though of course having the recipes, if you're interested, is a nice plus. At least some of the biographical info included in the book is, shall we say, edited, to give some of the judges and contestants more interesting sounding careers (I used to work with one As a fan of the show, particularly the early seasons, it was a fun romp down memory lane of the first three seasons. There wasn't a whole lot of new info here if you've watched the show, at least in terms of the narrative and interviews, though of course having the recipes, if you're interested, is a nice plus. At least some of the biographical info included in the book is, shall we say, edited, to give some of the judges and contestants more interesting sounding careers (I used to work with one of the judges and I know that the early part of the bio given is simply false). But, I suppose it makes it more intriguing and exciting - after all, this is just the book version of "reality television".

5 out of 5

Johnnie Gee–Feb 25, 2014

I really like the show Top Chef so I was a little skeptical about reading a book about it. What a pleasant surprise!! I learned things about the show that I didn't know and I have a new found respect for Tom Colicchio and the fine line he walks between mentor and head judge.
One of the more interesting things was the hard line he sets as head judge that each challenge is to be judged on it on merit! Forget all of the wonderful or not so wonderful meals that came before it, go on or go home on th I really like the show Top Chef so I was a little skeptical about reading a book about it. What a pleasant surprise!! I learned things about the show that I didn't know and I have a new found respect for Tom Colicchio and the fine line he walks between mentor and head judge.
One of the more interesting things was the hard line he sets as head judge that each challenge is to be judged on it on merit! Forget all of the wonderful or not so wonderful meals that came before it, go on or go home on this challenge only.
Oh, yes there are recipes and I was floored there could be anywhere from 10 to 20 plus ingredients in some of the preparations. More than I want to take on I think.

5 out of 5

Margaret–Jan 23, 2011

A great book for TV's (Bravo) "Top Chef" junkies, of which I am one. That said, I borrowed it from the library - read it cover to cover, but unless one really does want to cook the kind of food one sees on "Top Chef" (lovely to see and read about, but on average this really is "fancy restaurant" food), definitely borrow and don't buy it.
Not only do you get the recipes - maybe one or two of which I would actually make in real life - but you get various insights into the show's creation and produc A great book for TV's (Bravo) "Top Chef" junkies, of which I am one. That said, I borrowed it from the library - read it cover to cover, but unless one really does want to cook the kind of food one sees on "Top Chef" (lovely to see and read about, but on average this really is "fancy restaurant" food), definitely borrow and don't buy it.
Not only do you get the recipes - maybe one or two of which I would actually make in real life - but you get various insights into the show's creation and production, plus the "chef-testants" from the first three seasons. Great fun!

5 out of 5

Sarah–Sep 06, 2011

I love watching Top Chef, it is one of the few television shows worth my time. That being the case this cookbook is a lot of fun. Although I did not learn about the show until the fourth season and this cookbook covers only the first three (plus a single recipe from season four's Richard) I still enjoyed perusing its contents. Not only does it contain recipes (most of which I have no interest in attempting) it chronicles the competitors with their mini-bios and pictures. Hopefully an updated ver I love watching Top Chef, it is one of the few television shows worth my time. That being the case this cookbook is a lot of fun. Although I did not learn about the show until the fourth season and this cookbook covers only the first three (plus a single recipe from season four's Richard) I still enjoyed perusing its contents. Not only does it contain recipes (most of which I have no interest in attempting) it chronicles the competitors with their mini-bios and pictures. Hopefully an updated version will make its way to market and I can catch up on the lives of the contestants I have seen.

4 out of 5

Beth–Jun 03, 2008

I really enjoyed this, because pretty much I'm a Top Chef fanatic, and I just ate up (pardon my pun) the whole book. My only complaint is that there needed to be more pictures of the food. Not that I would ever attempt these recipes, because I can barely handle grilled cheese, but that's one of my favorite things about Top Chef: seeing the plated food. Other than that, it was great. I can't wait for the second one. :)

4 out of 5

John–Aug 16, 2010

There is a lot of show coverage (photos of the format and some glossed over stories) but what recipes are here are genuinely tough! If you've never cooked geoduck before and have an adventurous palate, go for it. It'll stretch your wallet, but it'll probably stretch your abilities just as much, so you won't make any dish here every night. Get it because you remember seeing something unique and wondered how it would taste or if you like pretending to be Marcel.

4 out of 5

Cecily–Jan 31, 2009

It's so funny to me that many of the recipes in this book (and shown on Food Network or Bravo) contain the same staple of ingredients: leeks, celery root, microgreens, scallions, EVOO, truffle of some sort, broccoli rab, scallops, balsalmic anything, etc. I used to have such awe and admiration for so many chefs. I still do--it's just interesting that they are similar. I don't know what I'm saying. Good book. I liked the info about the chefs and Tom Colicchio. Love him.

4 out of 5

Gwen–Feb 09, 2010

As a fan of Bravo's Top Chef, I enjoyed reading the quick bios and episode descriptions. I enjoy reading cookbooks and rated this a 3 because I don't think I will use many recipes from this book. Frankly, most of them are over my experience level (thus reassuring me I cannot try out for Top Chef). Since this book only takes the reader from seasons 1 to 3, I understand why they came up with a follow-up book. If you enjoyed Top Chef, you will enjoy this book.

4 out of 5

x_silversurfer–Feb 09, 2016

A seemingly random amalgam of recipes from the first few seasons with that are very interesting but not very practical. A few of the recipes are easy to make and delicious, but the others have ingredients that may be difficult to find and/or take a toll on your wallet.
Also collects stories behind the scenes, such as off camera antics and a 'giving tree' host. A good read for a fan of the show, but less than usable as a cookbook, and more than comfortable as a coffee table ornament.

5 out of 5

Jennifer–Dec 22, 2008

Love this show. The cookbook was neat in that it gave cool bios of the judges and contestants. I honestly do not think I would cook any of the recipes. Most of the dishes were cooked with constraints on the ingredients and cooking style. Fun to look at but if you are looking for a great cookbook, this is not it.

5 out of 5

Elaine–Sep 15, 2008

Not that I could ever pull off most of the recipes in this book (some of the ingredients are hard to find/ridiculously expensive), but I loved the info about the show itself and all the behind-the-scenes stuff. The bit about Brian from Season 3 in the bathroom at the French Culinary Institute was priceless!

5 out of 5

Robyn Barreca–Jan 03, 2009

I'm a die hard Top Chef viewer, it's one of my top three favorite shows, ever. This book certainly brings attention to the knowledge base that a chef must possess. The recipes are extremely complicated to the average cook, but I'm sure they're relatively "simple" for the Top Cheftestants. Bios and behind-the-scenes stuff is interesting.

4 out of 5

Candy–Jan 06, 2009

It satisfied my pop culture curiosity while the current season is on a break. I liked the graphic design of the book - very modern and colorful, with lots of mouth-watering food pix (as you'd hope). I would find it hard to recommend to any but the most sophisticated chefs, due to the obscure ingredients and level of experise required for most of the dishes. Great for fans of the show, though!

4 out of 5

Veronica–Jun 07, 2014

This was a book that promised to be more than what it was.
While I enjoyed the storyline of Maravan, I found the lists of ingredients tedious and unnecessary. I don't enjoy books in which it takes 100 words to put across and idea when 20 will do.
The political aspect/intrigue storyline seemed to be "filler". It didn't pique my interest at all.

5 out of 5

Kim–Mar 11, 2008

I really enjoyed reading this. I hesitate to call it just a cookbook, because it is so much more than that. I love the show Top Chef, and even though a majority of the recipes are far too fancy for my tastes, I loved looking at them and the pictures. The best part of the book is definitely all of the interviews and inside information on the show.

5 out of 5

Dawn–Nov 17, 2008

This cookbook is handy if you happen to have any truffles, Chilean sea bass, monk fish, sweetbreads, scallops, or any other expensive ingredient lying around in your kitchen that you can't think what to do with. As a huge fan of the show, I thought that the "inside" info on the show was lame. I'm glad I got this from the library instead of buying it.

5 out of 5

Camille Turner–Mar 16, 2012

I enjoyed this book not for the recipes, but for the background on the show. How it started, how the set is planned, how they picked the contestants. I lvoe that kind of stuff. I loved all the pictures of the food, which is awesome in a cookbook because if I don't like the picture, I probably won't try the recipe.

4 out of 5

Mike Ehlers–Dec 29, 2009

Got this because I'm a fan of "Top Chef", especially the creative cooking involved. I was aware it was more of a fan book, which is fine, but I wish it focused more on the recipes. Granted, I will probably never make most of them, but I'd like to see them all the same. But it is a good book for fans of the show and fans of the chefs from the first few seasons.

5 out of 5

Anne Gerth–Aug 05, 2011

I was so excited to get this book! I have been a fan of the show since the middle of the first season. The production of this book is excellent. Great cover, high quality paper and fabulous content. I read this cover to cover but kept forgetting to have a stack of sticky-notes to flag all the recipes I intend to try. Loved the book! But how will I get an adendum for season 4!

4 out of 5

Ashley–Nov 18, 2008

I want so badly to try most of these recipes, but right now I am not living with the most adventurous palates. Plus, many of the recipes include expensive ingredients. The ones I have made have been excellent!

4 out of 5

Andrew–Nov 20, 2008

Some fun recipes, but probablly most of them are to expensive for me to make. I don't understand why some did not have pictures. The stuff about the show was pretty lame and came off as pretty self-important. I did linger over the pictures of Gail Simmons though.

4 out of 5

Heather–Aug 04, 2008

This book was fun to read, but I wouldn't buy a copy for my myself. If you are a fan of the show, you will enjoy the bios and behind the scenes stuff. I loved reading the recipes, but 90% of them are way to foo-foo for my family of 7. Raw Geoduck? Yuck!

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